France Unveils New Military Service Amid Rising Fears Over Russia

VARCES, France (AP) — President Emmanuel Macron announced that thousands of volunteers aged 18 and 19 will begin serving in the military next year, unveiling a new program. Strengthening France’s armed forces Addressing growing concerns about Russia’s threat to European countries war in Ukraine.

In his speech at the Varces military base in the French Alps, Macron said that the young volunteers will serve in uniform in France’s mainland and overseas territories for 10 months and will not serve in military operations abroad.

“A new national service will be gradually established starting next summer,” Macron said. “In this uncertain world where power is above the law and war always exists, our nation has no right to be afraid, to panic, to be unprepared, or to be divided.”

The program will start next summer with 3,000 young people to be selected and will gradually increase to 10,000 annually by 2030.

Macron added that France aims to reach 50,000 volunteers a year by 2035, and that this figure will be adjusted according to the global context.

Volunteers will have military status and receive wages and equipment. He stated that after the one-month training, they will be assigned to a unit where they will perform the same duties as active military personnel for nine months.

They will then join the military reserve and continue their education or begin working. Macron said that those who wish can start a professional career in the active army.

Compulsory military service, which France ended in 1996, is not considered.

Macron said that the parliament could only allow the conscription of people whose skills were determined during a one-day defense course attended by all young people under “exceptional circumstances” and make national service compulsory for these people.

Macron has previously said France is trying to strengthen its defenses because Russia’s war in Ukraine puts the European continent at “great risk”. He announced that extra military spending will be 6.5 billion euros ($7.6 billion) in the next two years.

He said France will aim to spend 64 billion euros on annual defense expenditures in 2027, the last year of his second term. This will be double the annual spending of 32 billion euros when he became president in 2017.

Macron said that the defense budget planned for the 2026-2030 period includes additional spending of more than 2 billion euros for national service.

France’s military currently consists of approximately 200,000 active personnel and more than 40,000 reservists; This makes it the second largest army in the European Union, right after Poland’s. France wants to increase the number of reserves to 100,000 by 2030.

France’s new chief of staff, Gen. Fabien Mandon, sent a warning last week that the country should be prepared to “lose its children” in the event of a possible conflict with Russia; These words sparked a huge reaction across the political spectrum.

Russia annexed 20 percent of Georgian territory in 2008 and Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014. full scale invasion General Mandon, Ukraine in 2022

“Unfortunately, today, according to the information I have received, Russia is preparing for a conflict with our countries by 2030. It is organizing for this, preparing for it, and is convinced that its existential enemy is NATO.”

France is not the only European country strengthening its military capabilities.

Germany doubles Efforts to attract more staffespecially through a new voluntary military service. The plan is expected to be approved by parliament.

Belgium’s defense minister sent a letter this month encouraging 17-year-olds to sign up for military service next year, aiming to select 500 candidates aged 18 to 25 to launch the program in September.

Poland recently began implementing a new voluntary military training program and its goals are: Training 100,000 volunteers per year It is trying to establish an army of reserve soldiers starting from 2027, amid concerns about Russia’s growth. A reserve system is being considered, not a return to general military service.

Ten EU countries have compulsory military service: Austria, Cyprus, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania and Sweden.

Non-member Norway has compulsory military service for both men and women. The length of service varies from two months in Croatia to 19 months in Norway.